High court to decide sex offender registry issue

MILWAUKEE — The state Supreme Court is considering whether a convicted sex offender is exempt from reporting his address to the state because he claims to be homeless.

William Dinkins Sr. was convicted in 1999 of first-degree sexual assault of a child and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

He was supposed to provide his address for the sex offender registry before his release in 2008, but he said he couldn’t find a place to live.

Three days before his release he was charged with failing to provide required information to the registry 10 days before to his release.

He was later found guilty and appealed to the Court of Appeals, which reversed the conviction. The Department of Justice appealed to the state Supreme Court and the decision is expected Tuesday.